Be Happy Now! (7/22/10)

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married. Then we convince ourselves that we'll be happy after we have a baby. Then we'll find happiness when we have another baby.

Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we are sure we will be more content when they are. After that, we are frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of THAT stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there is no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, then when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It is best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

There is a famous quote from Alfred D Souza: "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten
through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would surely begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles WERE my life".

There is no way TO happiness. Happiness IS the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time...and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning,
until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on,
until you have had a drink, until you have sobered up, until you die, until you are born again.....
to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.